Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical personnel responded to a fire on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012, at the Sigma Chi fraternity, 1439 Tenn., around 3:55 p.m. Crews worked to douse smoldering flames on the roof on the northeast side of the house. Members of the fraternity were able to move back into the house Wednesday evening.
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Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical crews put out a fire on the roof of Sigma Chi Fraternity on Wednesday.

About 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, fraternity members smelled smoke coming from outside of the building, 1439 Tenn., and immediately evacuated it and called the Lawrence Fire Department.

The fire department arrived to find smoke coming from the building and roof. The department deployed a truck with an aerial ladder to spray the roof of the fraternity house. At one point, small flames could be seen, but the fire was under control around 5:30 p.m.

Division Chief Eve Tolefree, a Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical spokeswoman, said crews had yet to determine the cause of the fire, and damage estimates were unavailable Wednesday night.

The building appeared to be lightly damaged, and fraternity members were able to move back into the building Wednesday night.

According to Sigma Chi chapter president Blaine Kaehr, the smoke originally came from the roof of the house between the front pillars and the actual building.

What misfortune? They were allowed to go back in only a few hours after the fire. My townhouse caught on fire a few years back. Sure it sucked and smelled like smoke for a few weeks, but my roommates and I ended up being just fine.

The bros will persevere though this adversity and their sacred bond of brotherhood will be strengthened.